Late night finishes in her quarter-final and semi- final took their toll on Maria Sharapova when it came to lifting herself for the final of the Rogers Cup against fellow Russian Elena Dementieva. The former world No 1 eventually ran out of steam in succumbing 6-4, 6-3.
The Toronto final marked the end of a difficult year for Sharapova, 22, who was forced to withdraw from the event when it was staged in Montreal 12 months ago with the first signs of the chronic shoulder problems which kept her off court for nearly 10 months.
She still has some way to go to return to the level she was at, but little by little she is getting there. Once she feels she no longer has to protect her serving arm, there will be no reason she cannot improve on her tally of 19 titles, including three grand slams.
Sharapova's efforts over the last few weeks have restored her ranking to 32nd in the world, guaranteeing her a seeding next week for the US Open, which she won in 2006.
It was Sharapova's first appearance in a WTA Tour final since April 2008 and she expressed satisfaction with her progress. "This time last year I got the news that I would be out of the game for a while," she said. "Now a year later, I'm at this stage, with this little trophy, but still here."
The main trophy went to a delighted Dementieva who reaped deserved rewards for overcoming the formidable Serena Williams in the semi-finals. "I've tried for so many years to win this one and now I've made it," she said.
The Rogers Cup, which alternates between Montreal and Toronto, has become a key pointer to the US Open. The last three to win in Toronto - Justine Henin in 2003, Kim Clijsters in 2005 and Henin again in 2007 - went on to triumph at Flushing Meadows.
The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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Score
Third Test, Day 2
New Zealand 274
Pakistan 139-3 (61 ov)
Pakistan trail by 135 runs with 7 wickets remaining in the innings
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MORE ON INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now